Back Bay Station to Blue Hills Reservation
How to get from Back Bay Station to Blue Hills Reservation on public transit, with the stops, times and the last trip of the night.
Back Bay Station to Blue Hills Reservation
- Providence/Stoughton Line
- Bus 716
- Take the Providence/Stoughton LineFrom Back Bay, toward Providence3 stops, about 20 min
- Change at Canton Junction
- Take bus 716Toward Canton Village Shoppes via Canton Junction19 stops, about 4 min
- Get off at Washington St from Royal St to Canton AveThe stop after Washington St from Hubbard St to Turnpike St
Weekdays, fall 2026 schedule · First and last trips
Quick answer: Take the Providence/Stoughton Line toward Providence to Canton Junction, then bus 716 to Washington St from Royal St to Canton Ave. The trip takes about 58 minutes (36-59 min depending on the connection). On weekdays bus 716 runs about every 2 hours during the day.
Get the live route from Back Bay to the Blue Hills
Step by step
- At Back Bay, take the Providence/Stoughton Line toward Providence.
- Ride about 20 min to Canton Junction, with 2 stops on the way.
- At Canton Junction, change to bus 716 toward Canton Village Shoppes via Canton Junction.
- Ride about 4 min (19 stops). Get off at Washington St from Royal St to Canton Ave, the stop after Washington St from Hubbard St to Turnpike St.
Other ways to go
- Take the Orange Line to Forest Hills, bus 31 to Mattapan, then bus 716 to Canton Ave opp Blue Hills Ski Area, and walk about 4 min: about 59 min.
Which one is faster depends on when you leave. Cobblehop compares them with live times and gives you the one that gets you there first.
Times and frequency
| Day | First trip | Last trip | How often (daytime) | Trip time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday-Friday | 5:30 am | 7:25 pm | About every 2 hours | About 58 min |
| Saturday | 7:15 am | 5:50 pm | About every 3 hours | About 66 min |
| Sunday | 7:11 am | 5:50 pm | About every 3 hours | About 66 min |
First and last trip are when the first train of the trip leaves Back Bay, on the fall 2026 schedule. "How often" is for bus 716 (the least frequent part of the trip).
Late at night
On weekdays, the last trip that works leaves Back Bay at 7:25 pm and gets to Blue Hills Reservation around 8:32 pm, using Orange Line and bus 31 and bus 716. On Saturday nights the last trip leaves at 5:50 pm, and on Sunday nights at 5:50 pm. Late at night, ask Cobblehop for the last trip. It checks live times and tells you when to leave.
Tips for this trip
- Know your stop. Get to the door after Washington St from Hubbard St to Turnpike St. The next stop is Washington St from Royal St to Canton Ave. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
- Inbound or outbound. Commuter Rail trains toward Boston are called inbound and trains leaving Boston are outbound. This trip is outbound: look for Providence on the departure board, and find the track number there a few minutes before the train leaves.
- Changing at Canton Junction. You don't leave the station. Follow the signs for bus 716.
- The Trailside Museum on Canton Avenue (Route 138) in Milton is the main visitor stop in the Blue Hills.
- Back Bay station has the Orange Line, Commuter Rail and Amtrak under one roof. It connects to Copley Place by an indoor passage.
Step-free access
MBTA data lists every station on this route (Back Bay and Canton Junction) as accessible. Back Bay has 4 elevators in MBTA data. Elevators do break, so check the MBTA's elevator alerts before you go.
What it costs
- Bus. $1.70 one way, like any local bus.
- How to pay. Tap a contactless credit or debit card, phone or watch at the fare gate or bus door, or use a CharlieCard or CharlieTicket.
- Commuter Rail. Back Bay to Canton Junction is a Zone 3 fare, $8.00 one way. On Saturdays and Sundays, a $10.00 weekend pass covers unlimited Commuter Rail rides.
- Buying a train ticket. Tap-to-pay doesn't work on the Commuter Rail. Use the mTicket app, a fare machine or ticket window, or pay the conductor. Paying on board can add a $3 fee when you board at a station that sells tickets. A Commuter Rail ticket doesn't cover the subway part of the trip.
- Kids. Children 11 and under ride the MBTA free.
Fares as of October 2026. Check the MBTA's fares page before you ride.
Back Bay Station to Blue Hills Reservation: common questions
How do I get from Back Bay Station to Blue Hills Reservation by public transit?
Take the Providence/Stoughton Line toward Providence to Canton Junction, then bus 716 to Washington St from Royal St to Canton Ave. The trip takes about 58 minutes (36-59 min depending on the connection).
How long does it take to get from Back Bay Station to Blue Hills Reservation?
About 58 minutes on the main route, or 36-59 minutes depending on the connection.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, once: at Canton Junction. Take the Providence/Stoughton Line toward Providence to Canton Junction, then bus 716 to Washington St from Royal St to Canton Ave.
How often does bus 716 run?
About every 2 hours on weekdays during the day, about every 3 hours on Saturdays and about every 3 hours on Sundays, on the fall 2026 schedule.
What time is the last bus from Back Bay Station to Blue Hills Reservation?
On weekdays, the last trip that works leaves Back Bay at 7:25 pm and gets to Blue Hills Reservation around 8:32 pm, using Orange Line and bus 31 and bus 716. On Saturday nights the last trip leaves at 5:50 pm, and on Sunday nights at 5:50 pm.
Related routes
- Back Bay Station to Legacy Place
- Back Bay Station to Boston Nature Center
- Boston Common to Blue Hills Reservation
- Kendall Square to Blue Hills Reservation
- Never miss your stop (guide)
More routes from Back Bay Station
- Back Bay Station to Forest Hills Cemetery
- Back Bay Station to Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital
- Back Bay Station to Arnold Arboretum
- Back Bay Station to Franklin Park Zoo
- Back Bay Station to Larz Anderson Auto Museum
- All routes from Back Bay Station
Official sources
Cobblehop is independent and isn't affiliated with these agencies or operators. Schedules on this page come from MBTA/MassDOT public data. Check their pages for the latest schedules and service changes:
- MBTA: Providence/Stoughton Line timetable
- MBTA: bus 716
- MBTA: Back Bay station
- MBTA: Canton Junction station
- MBTA: fares
- MBTA: Commuter Rail fare zones
- MBTA: elevator and accessibility alerts
Published October 30, 2026. Times were computed from the fall 2026 MBTA schedule (2026-11-04 for weekdays). Service changes, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.
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